M2 selling like hotcakes

Record sales for baby Bimmer turns up heat on A45... and its M-car siblings

by DANIEL DEGASPERI

Chart attack Demons, duds & debutants

Record sales for baby Bimmer turns up heat on A45... and its M-car siblings

AUSTRALIANS cannot get enough of the BMW M2. According to May 2017 sales figures, Munich’s entry-level M-car delivered 231 per cent growth compared with 2016, selling 235 units well before the mid-year mark.

But the rate of growth for the $89,900-$99,900 M2 continues to accelerate. In May alone BMW dealers achieved 64 sales nationwide – which, based on that monthly average, would equate to 768 sales in 2017. Last year BMW shifted a maximum supply-constrained 390 units, almost half the potential figure for this year.

Local sales executives have convinced their global equivalents to boost supply to 550 units this year – up from 400 in 2016 – but they admit it won’t be – up from 400 in 2016 – but they admit it won’t be enough to satisfy demand. The M2 has so far this year outsold the M3 (160, down 20.4 per cent) and M4 coupe (101, down 28.9 per cent), although M4 GTS (19) and M4 Convertible (23) leave the medium-sized M-cars with a 303-unit tally and 68 units ahead of M2 overall.

However, it is catching them, while being 29 sales behind the Mercedes-AMG A45. That said, the CLA45 jogs it in with 331 sales so far this year, plus another 126 for the GLA45. Audi has managed only 75 sales of its RS3, but it has stopped selling the Sportback until the facelifted version arrives, joining the sedan.

Tally up the best five-figure offerings from Audi RS, BMW M and Mercedes-AMG can manage combined, however, and the tally is 1031 sales between them.

We also can’t pass up a nod to the Ford Mustang, which in May delivered its best monthly sales which in May delivered its best monthly sales performance ever – 1351 sales contributing to 3772 units in 2017, up 78.2 per cent and cementing its place as the topselling sports car.